Implementation of Power Balance Control Scheme for a Cascaded Matrix-Based Dual-Active-Bridge (CMB-DAB) MVAC-LVDC Converter

Though the merits of matrix-based dual-active-bridge (MB-DAB) ac-dc converter as a submodule for grid-connected multilevel medium-voltage ac (MVac)-low-voltage dc (LVdc) conversion have been presented in recent literature, its operational challenges in the cascaded configuration have not been explored. The objective of this article is to present the inevitable challenge of unequal power routing through the submodules of cascaded matrix-based dual-active-bridge (CMB-DAB) and its mitigation. The detailed and simplified small-signal model of the CMB-DAB converter along with the proposed power balance control (PBC) strategy required to eliminate the power imbalance issue are explained comprehensively. The simulation results for a 3-cell 52.65-kVA CMB-DAB converter along with scaled-down 5.85 kVA experimental results are presented, to demonstrate the unavoidable power imbalance issue and the proposed PBC strategy as a mitigation technique. The proposed scheme is observed to perform seamlessly with the conventional LVdc bus voltage control and remediate power-routing imbalance issue during the steady-state, load-change and hot plug-in/hot plug-out operations.

Automated summary

This article presents the challenges and mitigation methods of unequal power routing through the submodules of cascaded matrix-based dual-active-bridge (CMB-DAB) and demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed power balance control (PBC) strategy through simulations and experimental results.